Goshen Police Booth

History of the Police Booth…

According to a December 6, 1938 story in the News-Democrat, the City of Goshen received approval for a $1,794 allotment of WPA funds to build a “municipal police control station” on the northwest corner of the Lincoln Avenue and Main Street intersection. The city was spending an additional $1,500 for the project and the limestone was being donated by the City of Bedford, Indiana.

Construction inside a wooden shelter was begun shortly after the funding was approved with labor provided by the WPA. The 2-inch thick bullet-proof glass windows were donated by Salem Bank & Trust Company and First National Bank. Controls for the heating and ventilation were supplied by Penn Electric Switch Company. Other local contributors were Hettrick Manufacturing Company and Manrow Sheet Metal Company.

The booth was placed in operation at an “unveiling” ceremony on February 25, 1939.

The building itself was described as octagonal in shape with outside walls of limestone and bullet-proof glass windows. The interior was finished with three-ply veneer and the turret tower roof was made of copper sheeting.

It was originally electrically heated, but later converted to natural gas. The counter had three desktops with each having a drawer, telephone, police radio and electric fan for summer use. The floor was four feet above the sidewalk level and was covered with rubber matting.

When the booth went operational all telephone calls to the police were received at the control station. A special box with a telephone was installed on the sidewalk for pedestrians to use to talk with the officers on duty. The fire station and the police booth were equipped with a “teletalk” radio system so that they could communicate with each other directly.

Uses over the years…

1939-1966: Police telephone center; 24/7 police presence for public access; location of fire siren sounded to clear intersection when fire vehicles approached Lincoln and Main; the place to pay any parking ticket fines.

1967-1969: Police radio transmitting headquarters and information center. All calls for help to police were handled in the booth with officers being dispatched where needed.

1983-present: City gave booth to Goshen Historical Society. After some restoration and other improvements, the Police Booth was re-dedicated as a historical site in 1996.

Fact or Fiction…

FICTION — The booth was built to protect the banks from John Dillinger.

FACT — Dillinger and other gangsters were in the news during the 1930s and though criminal activity happened in northern Indiana, there were never any problems in Goshen. Dillinger was killed by the FBI in 1934 over 4 years before the booth was built. The booth has a clear view of the banks on the corners and a primary intersection in the downtown and therefore did serve as a kind of security blanket for the community. There was an officer on duty available to the public in the booth 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round.

FICTION — There were tunnels connecting the booth to the banks, public restrooms and/or the courthouse.

FACT — The booth has a crawl space under the floor that contains heating, plumbing and electrical services. There are no connecting tunnels to any other buildings.

FICTION — The slots in the upper turret were designed for machine guns and the portals in the windows were for shooting at bank robbers.

FACT — The slots and portals were for ventilating the booth. There is no record of any gunfire from any source being directed at the booth or coming from the booth.

Police Booth Hours…

The police booth is open for public viewing during designated First Friday celebrations from 5:00-9:00 pm. Other viewings may be scheduled by calling the Goshen Historical Society at
574-975-0033.

Please consider stopping by the next few days Thursday-Saturday from 11am to 3pm to see and learn more about our newest exhibit! Myth and Meaning: Human Experience Fabric Art of Elizabeth Wenger Exhipit Catalog. ... See more

We had a great turnout on First Friday with at least 395 people in the museum. Thanks to the Chandler 3rd graders of Kristen Savage for their Goshen Landmark scavenger hunt; to Liz Wenger's fabric art exhibit; to Cindy Nichols for her wool spinning demonstration and to all the Goshen High and Goshen College Alumni. ... See more

During First Fridays there will be a wool spinning demonstration by Cindy Collins of Pelusa Art at the Goshen Historical Society Museum. It will also be the start of a new three-month art display. The fabric art of Liz Wenger will be featured from October to December. Her needlepoint paintings are vibrant and sometimes painful personal meditations on what it means to be alive.

The Historical Society is also excited to host Kristen Savage's Chandler Elementary School 3rd grade class who will be presenting their class project that features nine historic landmarks in Goshen. The students have written and illustrated stories on how each of the landmarks may have appeared in different time eras.

Finally, don't forget to pick up your tickets to the Historical Society's fundraiser, American Graffiti Goshen Style. ... See more

October First Friday is fast approaching and there are many October activities to report!! First, on the 6th (First Friday) the museum will host a wool spinning demonstration and a 3rd grade class from Chandler that will present their project tracing nine Goshen landmarks through different time periods in our history. Second, a display of fabric art by Liz Wenger will start a 3 month stint in our front window display area. Liz's needlepoint works show will begin on the 6th of October and run through the end of the year. AND....Remember your ticket to American Graffiti Goshen Style will be only $25 (instead of $35) if purchased by October 7th. The auction items at the event are really getting interesting. If you like the Riverbend Film Festival, or the Elkhart Civic Theater, or the South Bend Cubs, or golf...then you just might want to attend to bid on the 2018 passes that will be up for auction. Much more on this event will be posted. Stay tuned. ... See more

Remember to get your tickets to American Graffiti Goshen Style. They are only $25 through Oct. 7th and are available at the museum during museum hours. You will have a great time and have the opportunity to bid on a growing list of super items and experiences in the auction. Riverbend Film Festival passes, Elkhart Civic Theater passes, South Bend Cubs ticket package, Golf at Maplecrest CC and much more!!! ... See more